You People takes audiences through not one but two story formulas – the fish-out-of-water culture clash that could occur between two separate parties, and the road towards a wedding. While this could be seen as a crutch for the filmmakers, this whip-smart comedy becomes the exception. Much like how Hustle exhibited last year, You People reminds us that routine storytelling can be forgiven if the film excels in other areas. You People is funny –…
A bunch of different ideas coexist in The Beach Bum, but they never truly come together.
The How to Train Your Dragon series receives a fulfilling finale with The Hidden World, a sensational sequel that not only ties its saga back to the creation of legendary stories, but also features the best visuals DreamWorks Animation has ever produced.
By: Trevor Chartrand In his feature film follow-up to 2013’s Spring Breakers, director Harmony Korine delivers a similarly raunchy, yet dark comedy with this year’s The Beach Bum. Much like Spring Breakers, this latest undertaking by Korine is bound to receive a mixed reaction from most moviegoers.
By: Jessica Goddard Mid90s is a coming-of-age period piece, chronicling how a mild 13-year-old boy finds acceptance and belonging with a reckless crowd of skateboarders. Our pint-sized protagonist, Stevie (Sunny Suljic), perfectly captures the in-the-middleness suggested by the title – we can’t help but see a child when he’s next to his older (taller) friends, but the mischief he gets up to makes him feel much more adult than we’re comfortable with.
By: Trevor Chartrand Apatow-comedy veteran Jonah Hill has diversified his career path considerably in recent years, taking on darker and more intense roles. Now he’s taken another step into new territory, this time helming a film from behind the camera: Mid90s is Hill’s directorial debut, and it’s chock-full of surprises.
Sausage Party is a shock comedy that’s heavy on “shock” and light on “comedy”. The film is supposed to subvert clean-cut animated films with inappropriate dialogue and black humour, but ends up becoming a crass and awkward in-joke between the comic cast.
By: Addison Wylie Good things come in pairs; such as with the clever 22 Jump Street. The comedy is a complimentary companion to its surprisingly hilarious predecessor, but also acts as another sample of how filmmakers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller are the kings of their goofball trade. There’s no point for sequel naysayers to pitch that 22 Jump Street throws more of the same at its audience. It straight-up admits it! Part of the fun in watching…
By: Addison Wylie When a family favourite reaches for a sequel, the franchise has to be careful it doesn’t catch a case of contagious sequelitis. For the much anticipated second part of the How to Train Your Dragon series, I’m happy to report that this latest adventure only suffers from slight sniffles. Otherwise, this is the follow-up that the 2010 hit deserves. We’re reunited with Hiccup (voiced by Jay Barachel) and his colourfully named pals…
By: Addison Wylie You have to hand it to Martin Scorsese. At age 71 with dozens of classics under his belt to which he directed, he still has the courage to make a provocative fireball of a movie like The Wolf of Wall Street. The Wolf of Wall Street chronicles the fast track lifestyle of real life wall street broker Jordan Belfort. Belfort is played by Leonardo DiCaprio, who soaks in the shadiness with a…